African Filmmakers Get Their Ultimate Network

(News of The South) – CINEAFRI, an innovative network dedicated to African film and video making launches this week. Founded by London-based Ghanaian filmmaker Ishmael Fiifi Annobil, CINEAFRI offers African filmmakers and related companies and institutions a meeting place, where and they can reach out to each other; recruit and offer talent, skills and facilities; and share videos and news with their fans.

CINEAFRI is a logical response to the giant strides African filmmakers are making against all odds, and their need for global visibility, as credible modern artists. To that end,CINEAFRI has been designed to inspire serious film making, through the exchange of ideas and osmosis, and help develop the authentic African film language.

“For once, filmmakers in Africa have a forum that shines a light on their contributions to film history, and enables them to interact and collaborate with their peers everywhere,“ says Annobil.

CINEAFRI offers free memberships to individual filmmakers and companies and institutions working in (or aiming to work in) African film in any capacity, regardless of location, age or nationality. Members have their own profile pages, and enjoy free advertising and posting privileges throughout.

Non-members can watch videos and read news and job ads for free, but they cannot post or apply for advertised jobs. However, in order not to miss out on possible membership, all visitors are advised to view Cineafri’s extensive eligibility list here: http://cineafri.com/eligibility-list.

CINEAFRI is currently headquartered in London, UK, and it aims to open an operational office in Ghana or Nigeria later this year. There are also plans for other language versions of the portal.

CINEAFRI is open for member registration now—visit: www.cineafri.com

ABOUT THE FOUNDER
Ishmael Annobil is a London-based Ghanaian poet, filmmaker, journalist, and digital composer. Born in Accra, Ghana, in 1958, He has directed several keynote art documentaries, including Hornsleth: Product of Love, Kenji Yoshida: Artist of the Soul; and In the Presence of Awe: The Transvangarde. He is currently filming Linda Karshan: Choreographing the Page, a definitive documentary on one of America’s greatest minimalist artists. His surreal fictional feature, Salamander Walks, is currently in post, and his forthcoming fictional films include Icarus, and Drosophila, a psychological thriller.

In spent the early 80s in Sudan and Kenya, where he performed his acclaimed poetry show, Criers on the Thresholds of Reality. He is the founder of the Welsh poetry festival, Iolo’s Children, and Wales’ first serious arts journal, Circa21 Newspaper. A master photographer, and pioneer of important low-light techniques, Ishmael’s photography has been published in prominent publications. He is also the founder of Chiaroscuro Magazine (www.chiaroscuromagazine.com) and Stonedog Productions (www.stonedog.info), both based in London.

For a longer biography visit: http://cineafri.com/about

ABOUT THE DEVELOPER
CineAfri was developed for the Web by Ruzanna Hovasapyan, a developer noted for her refined aesthetics and no-nonsense, user-friendly functionality. An Armenian by birth, Ruzanna is responsible for interpreting Ishmael’s graphic design and vision accurately, and for creating accessible backend protocol. She has developed most of Ishmael’s major web-based projects to date, including the renowned arts publication, Chiaroscuro Magazine. A photographer and intrepid traveller, Ruzanna fell in love with Africa during a visit to Kenya, and she views CineAfri as an opportunity to contribute something special to the continents development, and to help its youth achieve a global presence for their extraordinary creativity. To that end, she donated part of the development work on the project.